At a glance
Gongmei is a white-tea product name, often translated as Tribute Eyebrow. It describes a leafy style rather than a universal third-place quality rank below Silver Needle and White Peony. Read the actual plant-material, origin and grade information on your packet.
| Detail | What to know |
|---|---|
| Chinese name | 贡眉 |
| Tea family | White tea; check the actual product style |
| Associated origin | Fujian; the earlier account names Fuding and Zhenghe |
| Leaf form | A leafy white tea with buds and attached leaves |
Taste and appearance
The inherited description gives a fresh, clean aroma and a mellow, brisk cup, with orange-yellow to deeper yellow liquor. Visible downy buds, softer leaves and a red main vein seen against light appear in the old sensory account; none is an origin or grade certificate.
The cover above shows the dry-leaf or cake illustration. These original pictures are inherited references, not TeaPlain tasting samples or proof of age, origin, grade, authenticity or image rights clearance.
Grade characteristics
This retains the earlier Chinese edition’s sensory comparison. It is not a complete verified current standard table and does not assign a grade to your packet. Product name, plant material, picking and a seller’s grade are different questions. Decorative star rankings are omitted.
On a small screen, scroll the table sideways to compare the grades.
| Feature | Extra grade | Grade 1 | Grade 2 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry-leaf shape | Curled leaves, visible bud centres, even and clean | Fairly curled leaves, fairly visible downy tips, fairly even and clean | Slightly curled/open leaves, reasonably even, some yellow, stiff or waxier leaf pieces |
| Dry-leaf colour | Grey-green or deep green | Reasonably grey-green | Slightly dark grey-green, some red pieces |
| Liquor | Orange-yellow | Fairly orange-yellow | Deep yellow |
| Aroma | Fresh and tender, downy-bud fragrance | Fresh and clean, with tender aroma | Full aroma |
| Taste | Clean, sweet, mellow and brisk | Full, mellow and reasonably brisk | Strong and mellow |
| Infused leaves | Some bud tips, tender bright leaves | A few bud tips, soft fairly bright leaves | Coarser, somewhat open leaves, some red leaves |
The old infused-leaf row uses the obvious typo ‘牙尖’; it is rendered as bud tips. The old waxy/stiff-leaf terms lack numerical limits here. These descriptions do not certify current standard compliance.
Names and origin
The earlier entry describes population-grown tea material with a bud and two or three leaves, and names Guanyang, Diantou, Taimushan, Panxi and Bailin around Fuding, plus Zhenghe. Historical Xiaobai/Caicha terminology and older commercial Gongmei labels should not be treated as identical current grade definitions. These locality examples are inherited context, not a freshly verified protected-area boundary.
Everyday benefits
Brewed without added sugar, this is an ordinary tea drink that can be an alternative to sweetened drinks and contribute to fluid intake. It contains caffeine. These everyday properties do not establish that this named tea treats disease, lowers blood sugar or improves sleep. No TeaPlain clinical or brewing test is claimed here.
Who may enjoy this tea
You may enjoy it if you want a leafy white tea or are comparing a packet labelled Gongmei with Shoumei. Choose by product information and your cup, not the claim that a certain number of years turns tea into medicine.
When to take care
- Caffeine sensitivity or sleep problems: consider your total intake and timing if tea affects your sleep. A pale infusion is not a caffeine-free claim.
- Pregnancy, breastfeeding or medicines: ask a clinician or pharmacist about your actual product, caffeine intake and relevant medicine instructions.
- Iron supplements: follow the medicine’s instructions about separating tea from the dose. Do not use tea as treatment for anaemia.
These are product and individual considerations, not a blanket ban based on traditional “hot” or “cold” labels, age, sex or a constitution category.
How to brew
Original prose: short gaiwan infusions
The original prose gives a white porcelain gaiwan, 1:20 tea-to-water ratio, 100°C / 212°F water, preliminary wetting/rinse and a 5-second drinking infusion before decanting. It does not give a measured tea dose. The amounts below are an editorial illustration of that ratio, not measurements inferred from the image.
| Detail | Original prose with an explicit ratio example |
|---|---|
| Tea | 5 g Gongmei as an editorial example; check loose versus cake form |
| Actual water | 100 mL / about 3.4 US fl oz, measured for the drinking infusion; 5 g at 1:20 |
| Vessel | Heat-safe porcelain gaiwan with room for leaves and the measured water |
| Water temperature | 100°C / 212°F |
| First drinking infusion | 5 seconds, then decant completely; account for filling and pouring time |
| Preliminary wetting/rinse | Separate from the drinking infusion; not a validated disinfection step |
Use the packet’s complete method first. These retained methods and editorial examples are awaiting hands-on testing. A cake may open differently from loose leaves; do not treat its fill fraction as a water measurement. The earlier more-than-ten-infusions statement is not a guarantee of equal-strength cups. Let the drink cool enough to sip; a steeping time does not measure a safe drinking temperature.
Read the original illustration separately
The illustration gives 5 g in a nominal 110 mL gaiwan, boiling water at 100°C and a 3–5-second pour. It does not measure actual water. A vessel’s 110 mL capacity is not a 110 mL addition after leaves displace space. Its list ranking tap, distilled, well, mineral and spring water is an inherited preference, not a water-safety assessment; use suitable drinking water.
For another vessel, use a separate complete mug or pot method or the packet’s instructions. Do not carry the high-leaf gaiwan’s five seconds into a lower-leaf mug ratio and expect the same cup.
Adjust your cup
| What you notice | One change to try |
|---|---|
| Too strong, bitter or drying | Separate the liquid from the leaves; shorten contact time or use less tea next time |
| Weak or watery | Keep the measured water fixed and try a longer infusion before changing the leaf dose |
| Later infusions become stronger | Check whether liquid was left sitting with the leaves |
| Different from a flavour description | Compare the actual product and method; a description is not a promise for every cup |
Change one variable at a time. For a fuller sequence, see fix a disappointing first cup.
How to buy
Check producer, plant-material description, origin, loose versus cake form, harvest and any later pressing date. Older commercial labels may use Gongmei differently; ask which definition or grading system the producer follows instead of relying on a universal four-rank diagram.
Use the checklist in buy your first Chinese tea to compare actual packets.
China price reference
Undated figures retained from the Chinese edition, in Chinese yuan (CNY). No brand, product batch, storage record or quotation date was recorded. These are not verified current retail quotes, a market average or manufacturer-suggested retail prices.
| Chinese-edition tier | CNY per 500 g (one jin) | Equivalent CNY per 100 g |
|---|---|---|
| Extra grade | 900 | 180 |
| Grade 1 | 550 | 110 |
| Grade 2 | 300 | 60 |
The 100 g column is an arithmetic conversion, not a quoted 100 g packet. Missing price or sensory tiers are not filled by guesswork. Compare the actual style, harvest, pressing where relevant, weight and channel; a currency conversion alone does not make a UK or US offer comparable.
How to store
Original storage method
For a small working amount, the original entry uses a closed foil or kraft pouch inside a small box or tin, kept dry and free of strong smells. Check that the inner packaging is food-suitable and moisture resistant; plain unlined paper is not equivalent to a sealed foil pouch. For a cake, gently remove the amount needed without leaving the main packet open.
Its larger-supply example uses three layers: arrange the tea in a foil pouch, remove excess air gently and seal; add and close an outer plastic bag; then put it in a cardboard box and tape the seams. Keep it cool and dry at ordinary room temperature. This preserves the original handling method, not a guarantee of improvement with age.
The earlier targets were below 25°C / 77°F and below 50% relative humidity. These are legacy environmental figures, not a verified expiry prediction. The source mentions a tea-storage standard, but a citation alone does not establish that your packet or home setup complies with it. No universal shelf life or remaining duration is assigned; follow the actual product label and packaging conditions.
In a UK or US kitchen
Choose a dry cupboard away from the hob or stove, dishwasher steam, sun and strong food smells. Reseal after use and keep a daily portion separate if it helps avoid opening the main supply repeatedly. Do not add moisture to imitate a tea warehouse or assume an old packet is automatically better or safe. See storing an opened packet for everyday handling.
Origin, processing and history
The retained manufacturing map shows picking, withering, drying and sorting. Plant material and picking help distinguish product styles; the picture itself cannot establish them. If the tea is pressed into a cake, that is an additional shaping history rather than evidence that a loose tea was grown differently.
Common questions
Is Gongmei simply the third-best white tea?
No universal numbered quality ladder follows from the name. Plant material, picking, production and an individual product’s grade are separate questions. Historic and commercial Gongmei usage can differ, so ask what the actual producer means.
Can pale or aged white tea be treated as caffeine-free?
No caffeine amount is established by colour, age or a tea-family name alone. Use actual product information where available and consider your caffeine intake and sensitivity. This tea is not presented as a sleep remedy.
Compare Shoumei or browse the white tea overview.
Editorial notes and updates
Updated 16 October 2026. This adaptation preserves useful original descriptions, sensory comparisons, China price figures, recipe variants, storage handling and usable images. Doubtful classification, clinical and ageing claims are revised or omitted. Current full grade clauses and historical prices are not certified. Original Chinese-labelled diagrams have English reading notes; no TeaPlain tasting, ageing or brewing test is claimed. Research and image decisions are recorded internally.